This year Sharad Purnima is being celebrated on 5th October 2017 on Thursday. It is also known as Kojagiri Purnima, which means ‘who’s still awake’. It is known by this name as people in Bengal spend the entire night worshipping Goddess Lakshmi for wealth and prosperity. It is the harvest festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin. Sharad Purnima marks the end of monsoon. Devotees observe fast on Kojagiri Purnima and break the fast at the end of the day by eating Kheer, which is offered to the moon-god. According to the Puranas, Goddess Lakshmi takes the rounds of Earth to watch the actions of human beings.
Sharad Purnima 2017 Celebration
The night of Sharad Purnima is spent in celebrating the Goddess Lakshmi by singing devotional songs, playing games and dancing under the moonlight. People who fast the entire day take only fluids like coconut water or milk. Under the moonlight, the milk and rice are prepared into kheer. This kheer is consumed after keeping it under the moonlight for some time.
Early in the morning, unmarried girls wake up and take bath before the sunrise. They perform a puja to the sun god. This puja is known as ‘Janhi Osa’. They observe the fast throughout the day. When the moon rises in the evening, they make offerings to the moon god, with a special variety called Chanda Chakata. The dessert is consumed after the rituals are over. In Orissa, special songs like 'Kuanra punei jahna go’ is sung by the young girls. They also play a game called Puchi Khela.
Sharad Purnima 2017 Kheer Recipe
You’ll be needing 1 bowl of soaked rice, 2 cups of milk, sugar, cardamom powder, saffron strands, and dry fruits to prepare this recipe.
How to make Sharad Purnima Kheer
- Heat the milk in a thick-bottomed pan. When the milk reduces to 3/4th of its original quantity, add the soaked rice. Keep stirring to prevent charring.
- When the rice is cooked and tender, add sugar according to taste and cardamom powder. Stir the ingredients well. Add dry fruits and few strands of saffron.
- Mix it well and cook it till the mixture becomes thick. Take it off the heat.
- Garnish the kheer with grated almonds, cashews and raisins.
Why Kheer is offered to Moon God during Sharad Purnima?
It is believed that moon showers ‘amrit’ or elixir on Sharad Purnima. Thus, people put the kheer pots on the terrace to absorb the nectar showered by moon. It is supposed that moon is in its most powerful form on Sharad Purnima as it comes the closest to the Earth. The ‘amrit’ is said to have healing and health-giving powers.
